The Real Kingdom

          It was the day after Christmas back home in Oregon and my Dad and I were getting ready to go play some golf at a nearby course.  I got in the truck and pulled up my email on my phone.  There was a message from the Peace Corps.  Was this what I was waiting for since I herd I was accepted into the Youth Development sector back in June? It was a moment of excitement and hesitation at the same time.  This would be telling me where I would be living for 27 months.  I opened the email and read.  So many emotions and questions begin to run through my head.  The next 6 months would be an eventful time for me, preparing my life for 27 months abroad.

As you probably already know, I am in Swaziland now.  The Kingdom of Swaziland.  It has been almost a year from now that I herd of Swaziland for the first time.  I am living here now and couldn’t imagine being in a better place.  I arrived in Swaziland in June and have been living here now for almost 6 months.  What better time to reflect on the culture, food, people, history and just share some of the beautiful things I have seen, learned and experienced here.

Swaziland is Africa’s last absolute monarchy, hence The Kingdom of Swaziland.  A country of about 1.4 million people living in the size of a country comparable to New Jersey and rich in culture with little influence from the outside.  The larger country of South Africa with the exception of Mozambique to the east surrounds Swaziland, yet you seem like you are the only place in the World when you are in Swaziland.  Traditional cultural events such as Umhlanga and incwala still flourish today and the entire country turns out to support their national heritage and celebrate their unique culture.  Culture is what makes us who we are, it includes our religion, beliefs, morals, food, lifestyle plus whatever else shows our uniqueness.  Swaziland is one of a kind.

I don’t like spouting off a lot of facts, numbers and dates on things cause after about two sentences I honestly stop reading.  I just want to share some culture experiences first hand so you can gain some perspective on the history and the Kingdom of Swaziland.  If you like that stuff though there are hundreds of websites you can look up to find the GDP, exact size, average age, dates, and whatever else you like.  For me though learning about Swaziland has come from a few things, Swazis are always happy and enjoy helping others out.  Also, the strong presence of dance, music and singing in whatever they do and lastly are Swazi’s love of God and the Creator.

No matter where I have gone here I have always been greeted with great enthusiasm and a willingness to help out.  The respectful cultural greeting wherever you go and before you speak with someone is always Sawubona.  Yebo.  Unjani?  Ngiyaphila.  It is saying hello, acknowledging them, saying hello back, and asking how they are.  It is a cultural value and taking a genuine interest in everyone you interact with.  Taking time to learn a language of another culture is probably one of the highest forms of respect and showing that you want to be part of something more.  Speaking the native language creates a more enriching experience in any country, especially Swaziland.  I have had people walk with me great distances just to show me where a store is because they care.  Others have carried groceries for me because they care.  An entire bus stopped right in front of my house so I could unload my bed and not have to carry it because they care.  Killed chickens and a pig to celebrate me being with them because they care.  Being here and seeing what little most people have, I experience a giving of more than they have.  I think that is a lesson from the Bible somewhere.

Singing, dance and music is all around in Swaziland.  During the morning assembly at the schools the children sing beautiful praises each day, singing from the surrounding churches fill the air on Sundays, the young girls dancing and singing as they carry the reeds down the road during Umhlanga, and maybe even some Lil Wayne in between the gospel music on the Khumbi and bus rides.  There have been a few presentations and celebrations at the schools in my community here and they all center around these three things.  You can find students singing songs, performing dances, traditional and unique, plus music blasting while everyone dances around the speakers.  I don’t think anyone has a bad voice here when they sing, except for me, so I avoid it.  It all revolves around celebrating life, enjoying friends and family, and praises to God.  Worship is all around us in whatever you do, from skiing down the mountains, the working and serving, to singing.  Swaziland worships with their voices and talents every day.

         It is hard to really sum up the history and culture of Swaziland without writing 30 or more pages.  I have learned though they are proud of their culture, a group of strong people willing to work and learn, and love God.  Don’t get me wrong though there are other religions and this is not everyone in Swaziland, to be politically correct, but it is hard to deny the presence of God and see their love for one another.  So why does a country like this have one of the highest HIV rates in the World then?  You see people happy, helping each other, loving God, working hard yet they struggle with this devastating disease each and every day.  Everyone in this small Kingdom has been affected in one form or another with HIV/AIDS; with 26% of adults between 15-49 is HIV positive.  It has the highest rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the world and 80% of patients are co-infected with HIV.  The Kingdom of Swaziland is a beautiful place with friendly and loving people who only want this to go away.  They want to return to a healthy and empowered kingdom free of disease, death and able to worship fully and finally celebrate their rich culture to its full potential.

An Adventure a Day

       Since our last meeting I have been busy in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  Well as busy as we can get living here as a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer).  I was able to teach a few life skills classes with the students at the high school, conduct interviews and surveys to learn more about my community, completed our IST (In-Service Training), and started the planning stages of some projects to introduce in my community and the schools.  There has been a pig roast, farewell party at the high school with lots of dancing and singing, playing card games with my bhuti “brother” that I don’t understand, and the private screening of Frozen in my hut with my bobhuti “brother’s” and sisi “sister”.  Everyday is an adventure, everyday is something new and everyday is a learning experience.

         The relationships continue to grow in my community and I am feeling more comfortable with my work, my family and the community.  I think the more you accept that in-order to live and learn, we need to be uncomfortable, this creates more of a sense of comfort for us at the end of the day.  I never know what to expect when I wake up each day, but I know that God prepares the way for me and that whatever I set out to do he has prepared that path for me.  It can be from the days I just ask Him for smooth and safe travels to Manzini, that the bus arrives that day, to the days when I walk to the school and ask Him to bring me just one person today.  Sometimes He decides though that someone is going to teach me something that day, the young child running by me saying “Hello Celimbilo” as the bell rings at the school, or my Babe “father” yelling outside my door just to ask me how I am at 8pm at night.  I enjoy every moment of it and have to just thank God everyday that this is real life.

         It has been almost 5 months now that I have left home to start this adventure here in the Kingdom of Swaziland (maybe a little history lesson and culture lesson is in store for Swaziland in the next blog), time has been flying by and sometimes I don’t know if 2 years is enough time.  A little bit on some things we are working on with the schools and my community are boys and girls clubs, getting a library together, income generating projects with my family and the community, and good hygiene practices.  That could all change tomorrow though so I just continue to ride this ride.  You cannot force something and do things the way we Americans think things should be done, it also takes 100 times longer to get something done here, it’s just the Swazi way.  I kind of like it, “if it can be done today, it usually can be done tomorrow.”  It holds some truth to it. 

         On the PCV side of things we celebrated our 1^st successful Halloween here in Swaziland, the people here don’t understand this holiday, but neither do we really.  It was held at a local backpackers lodge near Mbabane (the country capital) with almost all 100 of us volunteers who are in country right now.  Our first and only hopefully IST (In-Service Training) was completed and was a good way to get re-motivated to go back to our communities “guns blazing” typical American style…that didn’t last long.  Nonetheless, it was all great information for us to help in our communities.  Thanksgiving planning has begun and will be hosted by our CD (Country Director) at his house with all the volunteers.  Christmas is in the works currently and spending the holidays together as a volunteer community and family.  New Years is going to be spent sitting on the beach looking out into the Indian Ocean in Durban, South Africa…doesn’t get much better than that.  January the schools will be starting up again and hopefully all the planning and learning about projects can be put into action.

         The process though is not over, there is no really set plan for a volunteer and it is a constant planning, evaluating and learning process for the next 2 years.  The most important thing is to learn how to listen, observe and just be available.  Some projects may be a great success, but others will fail and it is learning what happened, re-evaluating and trying again.  Relationships are essential in successful integration and success of projects, starting those is the difficult thing sometimes, but nurturing the relationship we make is what makes it rewarding.  Seeing others grow along with you, sharing cross culture experiences, ideas and lessons, ultimately improving both of us in one way or another.  The stories continue, friendships made, adventures had, and living each day as a blessing from God, just walking this path of life.

Students participating in traditional dance

The Daily Grind

          It truly is a new adventure each day here in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  I wake up each day unknowing what it brings, but prepared to take whatever may come my way.  Isn’t that really every day of our lives though no matter where we are?  I figured I should add a little humor to my blog in this entry, after all this is the Peace Corps.  I mean that in a good way.  My days here I try to create some sort of routine to help me stay balanced and sane at times.  There are moments that I really cannot expect what will happen, that is usually when I step out of my hut.  Then again, adventures can happen without me stepping outside.  It is all part of life and the Peace Corps experience.

         My daily routine that I have began to develop consists of the following:

(Some days will vary depending on if I have an event or traveling to attend to)

7am – 9:30am 

      

-Wake up

(I have gotten better at ignoring the roosters)

-Make coffee or tea

(Depending on supply and how tired I am)

-Daily devotions and Bible reading

-Have breakfast

(This varies depending on motivation)

Options: Corn flakes with powder milk, Oats with sugar and honey, or hard-boiled eggs and bread

                          

-Make my bed

(Yes! I finally make my bed every day; I don’t want to find snakes or spiders in it later that night)

-Morning workout in hut

(30-day challenges, or P90x on “days off”)

-Take a shower in my makeshift bucket/solar shower

-Get dressed and tackle the day!

9:30am – 3pm

      

-Walk to either the Primary School or High School

(It is a rough 15-minute walk, and that’s if I am walking Swazi pace)

-I check in with the teachers and will meet with some of them or work on project ideas and help students with schoolwork.

-Visit the store next to the school for snacks or a cold soda (Varies on the supply they have that day, and temperatures)

-Eat lunch with the teachers

(Rice and beans, or other days it is “mystery” meat, once it was the insides of a cow, I just eat it…kind of)

-Some days I will just go on a walk around my community, the best way to met people, learn new things and explore.

3pm – 6pm 

            

-This is usually the time my family returns home.

(School, church, town, the tree down the road, garden, not really sure some days)

-Spend time with my bobhuti “brothers” and “sister”

(We will just talk about the day, learn new words in SiSwati, or play games)

-I will help with any schoolwork they have

-Talk with make “mother” and babe “father”

-Retire to my hut for the evening at dark

6pm – 9pm   

          

-Will start cooking for the evening

(Menu varies on motivation once again, and supplies)

Options: rice and beans, rice and beans with veggies, rice with veggies, beans with veggies, I try and mix it up with pasta, or some meat if I have any

(No fridge in my hut so I store it in my family’s fridge if I have any)

-Usually listen to “West Coast Radio” from Durban, SA

(They actually played FGL and Taylor Swift, along with TLC, Tina Turner, you never really know what to expect)

-During dinner I watch a movie or a TV episode

(Thank you Jesus for external hard drives!)

-Spend time journaling, writing, drawing, or reading

-Do dishes from the day

(All by hand in my dish basin)

-Refill my water filter for water the next day

-The evening lock of doors and bug check throughout my hut

-Crawl into bed and Thank Jesus and God for another safe, productive, and rewarding day, pray for a good nights sleep, new day and to bless all those in my life.

         My day’s can take some changes though and I can never really expect what will be next.  We are on a period called integration, which is for the first 3 months at our permanent sites we are expected to observe, meet with community members, explore and learn as much as we can about our community and the people we will be working with for the next 2 years.  It is a time of learning and building relationships with our host family, teachers, students and community members.  It might be one of the more difficult times of our service, there is not much direction and we need to get out there, expose ourselves, be uncomfortable and integrate into the Kingdom of Swaziland and our unique community.  I anticipate as projects develop, relationships are built, and time goes on daily schedules with change and new adventures will arise.

         In my next blog I can expand on this idea of a new adventure each day because it really is here in Swaziland.  I never know what to expect sometimes.  From the time I transported my bed on top of a public bus 3 hours, to killing and cooking a pig, to riding in the back of a military truck at midnight returning from a church service with my host family.  Yes, that all actually happened! #Swaziland Every day though is a unique gift from God.  I continually thank Him every day for this opportunity, trust Him and lay it all in His hands.  I look at the positives; take it each day at a time, and learn to rejoice in the small success stories while being a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Growing Abroad

          I don’t even know where to begin.  The last month or so has been a whirlwind of emotions, new experiences and time passing quickly yet Swazi style. Group 12 was sworn in as official Peace Corps volunteers on August 28^th and all 37 of us will be dropped off at our sites the next day to begin our service of 2 years in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  Writing this now it still is hard to believe that I have been in Swaziland now for over 3 months, time has been a strange thing since landing in Africa.  Training was a long 9 weeks that I still look back on and question how it went by so quickly.  The ceremony was held at the Royal Swazi Spa and Golf Resort outside of the town of Mbabane, which is the capital of Swaziland.  In attendance were the Prime Minister of Swaziland and the US Ambassador along with a few ministers of departments, judges and other prominent figures from Swaziland.  All of Peace Corps Swaziland staff were there including the current volunteers from Group 11 and some Group 10 volunteers, who were extending for their 3^rd year.  It was an immense honor to be sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers and to begin our 2 years of service and the growth that we can hope to bring to our communities and individuals.

         The adventure was only beginning as we departed to our permanent site with all our stuff loaded down in trucks and ‘khombi’ (taxi) and starting the journey to our sites, which were spread in all directions in Swaziland.  Arriving at my site my things were unloaded and put in my house, all in a matter of about 10 minutes, the driver and the 2 other volunteers in my travel group said goodbye, the truck pulled out and it disappeared down the gravel road.  I really was left to my own device; there was no more staff, no more volunteers, and no teachers to help me, just myself and the people that I would call my family for the next 2 years.  My things were strewn across the empty house in piles and my family and me kind of just stared at each other for what seemed like hours.  Really it was only a few seconds before they asked if I needed a bed to sleep on until I was able to travel to town to purchase my own.  The process of making my little oasis was set in motion and I don’t think I will get my house exactly how I will like it till the day I head back to America.  It is a slow process, which I will soon come to realize is how everything I set out to do in Swaziland will be.  I have to look at the small accomplishments each day and learn that the pace of life is rather different than what we are used to in America.  Something I read which made great sense for a Peace Corp volunteer is to create a list of goals you would like to achieve in your community, write out goals for 2 days, 2 weeks and 2 months.  Your goals in 2 days will take 2 weeks, your 2-week goals will take 2 months, and the goals you wrote for 2 months will be your 2-year goals for your service.  This helps to not become overwhelmed and able to put things into a better perspective.

         The last 3 weeks at permanent site have been crawling by, but the funny thing about time is that I can’t believe that I have already been at my site for 3 weeks.  I have spent time at the community garden, been to meetings with community members, introduced myself at church, shadowed some classes at the high school, observed a community soccer game and still trying to learn this card game called ‘casino’ from my younger ‘bhuti’ (brother).  An important lesson I have learned so far is that the relationship building will be one of the most critical things for me to work on if I would like to see any progress in my community.  Taking each day as an adventure and just learning to roll with life and whatever the day may bring my way.  The Peace Corps really is a 24/7 experience, making the conscious effort every day to step out of your comfort zone and flourish in the experience that comes from that.  It is only the beginning of this life changing journey and the only thing I can be certain of though is that God is standing right next to me every step of the way helping me navigate these paths, relationships and experiences.

Swazi style during PCT (Peace Corps Training)

         It has been awhile since my last post and lots has been going on here in Swaziland.  Training is almost over, only 2 short weeks left until swearing in where we will officially be a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer).  Only at PCT stage now (Peace Corps Trainee) but so many amazing things have already been happening here as our group bonds, learns, fails, cries, gets upset, laughs, rejoices and all those other feelings that go along with the journey to being a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Through our training we have learned how to tie the lihiya and the other traditional wear here in Swaziland to building a Tippy Tap hand wash station in our communities.  There have been sessions on HIV in Swaziland all the way to how to design a library here and everything in between.  It has been a whirlwind of emotions with many ups and downs.  All I can say is that there is never really a normal day here in Swaziland and that is what makes the life of a Peace Corps Trainee exciting, I can only imagine what the next 2 years will bring as we step out of this training bubble and begin to help our communities one step at a time.  I imagine there will be many steps backwards before we go forwards, more downs before we go up, but I do know that we are all here for a purpose and we may never see that while we are here or even learn about it after leaving.

         I believe it is a great thing for every person to be exposed to another culture aside from theirs, a new language, and even just seeing how other people worship and their religions.  Stepping outside of our comfort zone and understanding new ways to think about things and communicate opens us up to many things.  The world begins to shrink as we travel more and with the internet today the options are limitless on our abilities to see and help.  Swaziland is a beautiful place with amazing people who have generous hearts.  They showed me how to get avocados out of the very tops of trees, cook bread without an oven, cook a full chicken that once was running around the homestead and play Swazi style soccer.  Not only from Swaziland but from my other times abroad in Germany and Austria, the people are welcoming, warm and friendly to everyone no matter where you come from and whatever background you have.  God created us all unique from the United States to Swaziland and has a purpose for each and every one of us.  I have already been touched here by the people of Swaziland and as I hope to leave just a little something behind from America to bring us all together even more.

Ayikho indlela lengayi ekhaya “There is no path that does not go a home”

I really don’t know when my sense of adventure and traveling took hold.  Ever since that point though I have not slowed down.  It is hard for me to tell people where I am from when they ask, “Where are you from?”  Oregon, Colorado, Austria, Arizona, now Swaziland.  All of these places have made up me in some form or another so I really can’t answer that question.  Sometimes I tell people Oregon, others I am from Arizona, and still that I am from Colorado, with a little Austria and currently Swaziland mixed into that.  The straight answer though?  I was born and raised in Oregon and began my adventure at 15 when we moved to Colorado. One thing is for certain though is that I would not be here without our Savior, Jesus Christ and trusting God’s path in all ways.  My loving and supportive parents and family, all my friends along this path who have all touched me in some way or another, and my better half, have all made this possible today.

“All my life I have seen where You’ve taken me, beyond all I have hoped and there’s more left unseen, there’s not much I can do to repay all You’ve done, so I give my hands to use.”  In the short 25 years I have been alive God continues to amaze me everyday with his works, what he has done and doing in my life and where he has brought me to today.  It is beyond belief that I am now in Swaziland to begin one of the greatest adventures of my life so far.  From my time in Austria where after high school I attended a Bible school, to college in Arizona and my time at Northern Arizona University to now, it is beyond all I have hoped or could dream of.  That is how I hope to live my life. To continue to give God my hands to use and be open to wherever he sends me and uses me.  Something that I have learned is to have an open heart, listen and be willing to go wherever He sends you.  Sometimes it may be a place you are uncomfortable in, but knowing where he brought me from and what He provided is what comforts me during the difficult times.  I cannot wait to share my adventures with everyone and the lessons learned as I continue to walk this path home from Swaziland.  Who knows where the next adventure will be and the fork in the road will take me but for now, it goes through Swaziland on the great continent of Africa.

Why am I here?

       My parents introduced me to the wonderful world of exploring God’s creation at a young age and have been so blessed ever since.  I remember growing up and going on family trips whether it was the weekend camping trip or one of our long summer vacations to Alaska or the Grand Canyon.  I believe this is a crucial thing for a child and being able to introduce them to World that we live in and all that it has to offer.  The curiosity soon grew on me on what more is out there beyond my town, state, and country.  Traveling has always been a passion of mine and I got one of my first real experiences of cross-culture when I traveled to Europe at 18 after high school and attended a Bible School in Austria for 3 months.  Ever since that time overseas the World has been opened to exploration and endless possibilities for me.

         It is all about taking that first step and trusting God the rest of the way.  He wants us to step out of our comfort zone and spread his amazing love to all the Earth and it starts by just trusting him.  It can be attending a school outside of your home state, starting a new job, meeting new friends, traveling to a new country or just asking that girl you keep seeing out on a date.  You never know what or who will change your life by taking that step and it is always a journey you will never forget.  I have had a few of those moments and I can say that I would never do anything differently and has always turned out to be more than I could even imagine.  My most recent leap has been joining the Peace Corps and moving to Swaziland in Africa to work in the Youth Development field and the HIV crisis for the next 27 months.

         I know as time goes on here in Swaziland I will learn many new things, meet new people, try new food, experience and see new things and grow as a person through it all.  The most important thing I believe in is to always be open to new ideas, perspectives and anything else that may come your way during this time.  Some of the best advice I have herd from multiple people before arriving and during the first few weeks of Peace Corps Training was to be yourself, don’t compare your experience with anyone else, and that every volunteer is different.  We are all here for various reasons, ambitions and goals and that what is makes this experience of the Peace Corps unique, is the varying outlooks on life and experiences that we all bring to the table to help out.  I cannot wait to see where I have come from and where I will go while here in Swaziland.